The Heart Of The Dead
by deviant-vampire
Summary: Discontinued. Will re-submit as a new story, but for those who want to see what came first, this is it.
1. Chapter 1

Whatever the hell happened to the world, that's what Ichigo wanted to find out, when he went up to the Sokyoku, at least what was left of it. Ichigo could vaguely recall the voice of Rukia, from the conversation they had just had.

_They say that they trapped something beneath the hill. Beneath the Sokyoku. If we want to beat him, Ichigo, then we might need what's below there._ Ichigo remembered that while she had said it, Ukitake had been watching him carefully. The old captain had taken a keen interest in the operations of Rukia and Ichigo, for some obscure reason. Ichigo remembered Rukia's last words to him before he had left. _Be careful, Ichigo. Please._

Ichigo could see the ruins of the Sokyoku now. He remembered, not too long ago, the battles that had been fought there. To save Rukia. To fight Aizen. To defeat Arturo. It was strange, but in all those hard fought battles, Ichigo couldn't have thought that potentially, a powerful weapon had been just a few feet away, ready to help them if need be. He walked to the foot of the Sokyoku, the old wooden beams now decaying a little, having stood without purpose since Rukia had been freed. He stood there, staring up at them, wondering how he could access whatever was beneath the hill.

He stared down. Now, if he thought like Uryu, he'd come up with a clever plan to use some kind of spirit ribbon detection to find it. But he didn't think like Uryu. He thought more along the lines of Renji and Chad. He drew up Zangetsu, still in it's _shikai_ form, and he cut straight down, firing a Getsuga Tensho at the ground, cutting a wide swathe through the earth. As the dust rose up, and the fragments of earth fell back down, he knew he had cut a fair distance down into the hill. He waited until the rock dust had settled before he made a move to jump down the hole he had just made.

He could see it. A door, marked with symbols, that read, upon inspection, _The Heart Of The Dead_. Ichigo had no idea what that meant, but he didn't care. He flourished Zangetsu again, and slashed at the door with another Tensho attack, but it didn't even leave a mark. Two more Tensho attacks didn't leave a mark. Ichigo examined the door. He could touch it, but he couldn't mark it. It only appeared to be made of stone. Whatever was protecting it was strong.

He laid his hand on the symbols. They glowed red upon his touch, and the door started to rumble and shake. Within moments, it was shattered, falling into pieces on the ground, leaving Ichigo to stare in amazement at the dark chamber within. He considered calling for help from someone. Even Byakuya would do at this point. He sucked in his fear, however, and stepped inside.

He was stood in a dark chamber, the walls of which he could barely see. In the centre of the room was a pedestal, on which rested a long cylinder, that seemed to radiate darkness. Ichigo approached it, but thought better of getting any closer. He circled it instead, examining the pedestal, seeing if it bore markings or symbols which he could read and get any idea of what the cylinder contained, but it was blank. The entire chamber was unadorned. He sighed and walked forwards quickly, laying a hand on the long leather tube.

Something happened behind him. He felt a presence, and he shot around, wielding Zangetsu, but it wasn't necessary. Not even Zangetsu could have held back that attack. Something hit his chest, sending the cylinder flying through the air, and smashing Ichigo into the stone. He rose quickly, shrugging off the rock chippings and dust he had collected from his collision. He had no idea what he was looking at, but it scared the hell out of him, even more so then his fight with Ulquiorra.

A man, made of darkness, and not shadow, but a black and purple kind of misty and liquid, was moving across the chamber, towards the cylinder, which had fallen to the other side of the room. Ichigo didn't need telling twice. This always happened. He was always unleashing some ancient evil. He muttered the words that sent him into _Bankai form, and slashed with his black sword. Something stopped him. The man had drawn a sword out of the long leather tube, and Ichigo realised that it must have been a Zanpakuto, sealed away underneath the Sokyoku._

_He was pushed away, but not too far. The man was now changing. What had been darkness was turning into something else. He began to look just like a normal Shinigami. His hair was black, messy and long, and his skin was pale. His eyes where red, and had deep bags beneath them. There was a horizontal scar across the bridge of his nose, and one just to the left of his nose, leaving a cross across his face. He wore a black jacket and a white tee shirt, and a pair of baggy black jeans, despite which had a Shinigami seal attached to the leg. He held the sword, a long bladed Nodachi with an S shaped hilt, in his right hand, resting across his shoulders. His hands where gloved with white and black striped fingerless gloves. He didn't look any older then Ichigo._

_He turned to Ichigo, who gripped Zangetsu tightly, preparing for an attack. Then the man yawned, stretched and laughed, smiling brightly, even doing a little dance as he shook feeling into his limbs. He turned to Ichigo and gave him a look of disappointment._

"_Thank gods," he said, and his voice sounded young and lively, despite his very tired appearance. "Do you know how long I've been waiting, Kurosaki?"_


	2. Chapter 2

Ichigo hurried outside, after this mysterious man, who wouldn't slow down, heading for the base of the hill. He hadn't spoken since he had first said Ichigo's name, back in that chamber, and although Ichigo had asked him his own name, he had remained silent. Even when he had observed the ruins of the Sokyoku, the man had remained stoic and quiet, merely looking ahead, ignoring any noises Ichigo made. Ichigo pondered whether or not to fight the man, but judging by the way his Bankai had been flung aside, he guessed not.

"Wait up!" he called, and hurried after the man. After a short sprint, he actually managed to catch up, but as soon as he had done, he ran out of breath, and fell behind again. Now Ichigo could tell where they where going. They where heading to where the old Central 46 chambers had been, and now where the Captains of the Shinigami Divisions held court. Ichigo could see the chamber, as they where on high ground, but he couldn't tell why he was being led there. "Hey, wait! Who are you?"

"That's not for you to know, kid." The man walked along again. Ichigo was stunned into silence that he had said anything at all, let alone turned him down completely. He shook his head and hurried after him. "Look," said the man, wheeling around and jabbing a finger into Ichigo's chest. "Why are you following me? You released me. Do you not trust me or something?"

"Well, I have been almost killed by the things that I've released in the past, so, yeah, I guess I don't," said Ichigo, returning his glare. "What's your name? Who are you? Exactly what do you want with the captains?"

"Captains? You mean that isnt the chamber of the Central 46 anymore?"

"No, they where all killed." Ichigo was surprised. Maybe this guy was old, if he hadn't heard about Aizen's slaughter of the 46 members. "Now the Captains control the state, until the Central 46 are reinstated. So you wanted the Central 46?"

"I had a bone to pick with them." The man had turned again, and was heading along the paths to the chamber. "But the Captain's will do just fine. Tell me, is Yamamoto still in charge of the first Division?"

"Yes."

"Good, I liked that guy. How old is he now, two hundred, three?" The man seemed to be caught in a bit of recollection, but he was talking, so Ichigo didn't interrupt him, in case he revealed something useful about who he was or, more importantly, why he was sealed. "He was so young when I last saw him, I wouldn't have believed it."

"Wait, how young was he then?" asked Ichigo, unsure of something.

"About a hundred. Why?"

"He's six hundred now. Give or take." Ichigo watched as the man froze, apparently shocked, but he merely shrugged and kept walking. "Listen, I need to know who you are, in case I've just unsealed a major evil into the world! Look, why are you-"

"My name is Mitsuhide. Mitsuhide Takeuchi. As for why I was sealed, that's not for you to know, little one." Mitsuhide stopped for a second, patted his pockets and swore under his breath. He turned on Ichigo. "Got any cigarettes?"

"Me? No, I don't smoke."

"Damn. It's been a hundred years since I last had one. You'd think I'd be over my addiction, right? But no." Mitsuhide shrugged and kept walking. Ichigo followed on. Something didn't seem right about that statement.

"How long have you been sealed?"

"'Bout five hundred years. Why?" Mitsuhide raised an eyebrow and gave Ichigo a questioning look.

"Because you said a hundred years. How?"

"Oh, just because my power was sealed didn't mean I couldn't give my soul a quick airing." Mitsuhide laughed. "No, I've been walking around the human world for quite a while now, enjoying life like one of you. Quite boring, aren't you? Except, of course, your not, are you? I saw a few of your battles, when I was down there. You have some skill."

"Thanks." said Ichigo, unsure if he was actually thanking him for a compliment.

"Anyway, you'd best wait out here." said Mitsuhide, as they reached the doors of the chamber. Ichigo noticed that he had laid his hand on the hilt of his sword. "You might not want to see what's going to happen inside."

"Why, what are you going to do?"

"Oh, I'm just going to kill Yamamoto, don't you worry." Mitsuhide made to open the doors, but Ichigo clamped a hand on his shoulder. The glare they exchanged could have melted steel with it's fury. Mitsuhide gave a mock smile, with a very cold falseness behind it. "you'd best let go, kid. You don't want to anger me, do you?"

"I can't just let you kill the general! I wont let you. I released you for a reason, and it wasn't so you could-" Ichigo got cut off, because Mitsuhide had rammed a fist into his stomach and pushed him across the bridge that lead to the old Central 46 chambers. Ichigo hit the ground and rolled, struggling to his feet. It had felt like an iron bar being driven into his chest.

Mitsuhide watched him as he drew his sword. He laughed. "You'd better use your Bankai, kid. You won't survive if you don't." Mitsuhide drew his own sword, the simple katana, but he didn't even put it into _shikai_ form. Ichigo stood there, holding his cleaver-like sword, ignoring him. "I'm serious, boy. Show me your greatest strength."

"No. I'll kill you with this sword alone," said Ichigo, standing, facing Mitsuhide, not a hint of fear in his eyes, despite the fear he felt in his heart. _This guy can probably break me in two without blinking an eye,_ he thought. _No wonder he was sealed away!_

"_Ichigo," said Mitsuhide, stepping forwards. "If you don't show me Zangetsu, I'll kill you."_


	3. Chapter 3

Ichigo couldn't move. His legs wouldn't obey him, and his heart was pounding. Mitsuhide hadn't even moved, but Ichigo could feel the spiritual pressure building, until it had hit him like a hammer, drowning him, making him unable to breathe, to feel like his windpipe had just closed up. He couldn't summon his _Bankai_ anymore, because he couldn't speak. His tongue weighed a ton. Mitsuhide just looked at him, with a smile that was cold-hearted and deadly, before he moved.

Ichigo couldn't even see it. Mitsuhide had just blurred for an instant, and his sword had turned invisible for mere moments, and Ichigo's sword had broken, and his chest had been cut, spewing blood onto the bridge. Mitsuhide wiped his own sword on Ichigo's jacket, cleaning off the blood, before sheathing it again. He knelt beside the wounded boy, who was trying to get back up, but even if he had, his sword was split apart, so what could he have done?

"Don't feel bad, Ichigo. You should have listened to me. Really." Mitsuhide stood. "I'm going to kill the old man, whether you want me to or not. Believe me, this is justice. He's had it coming to him for five hundred years." Mitsuhide looked down. "Soon, a member of the 4th Division will stumble upon you and heal you. Judging by the spiritual pressure, its someone of captain level, so you should be fine."

"Wait!" Ichigo called, and regretted it immediately. "Why do you……want to kill him! He's the leader of the Shinigami…..the hero of the war! Please, don't!" Ichigo groaned in pain, but he still looked up in shock as Mitsuhide burst out laughing, and this laughter was real, deep from his gut, a chuckle that sounded like it was coming from a jolly giant. Mitsuhide turned to Ichigo again.

"Naïve boy. Don't you believe what he tells you! He doesn't command the Shinigami, the King does." Mitsuhide took a step forward. "Don't you think it's a little weird, how he lets everyone else get killed before stepping in, how he encourages the segregation and execution of anyone who might just be a little stronger than him?" Mitsuhide reached the doors of the chamber. "He uses you, Ichigo. Uses you to claim the glory that should be yours. He did it to me, and he did it to you."

"Wha-"

Ichigo watched as Mitsuhide entered the Central 46 building. He had to stop him, but he couldn't move, the wound in his stomach was causing him so much pain. It surprised him, but he wasn't bleeding that much, despite the racking pain he was feeling. He couldn't get up, although he could hear running footsteps. Two sets of them. Ichigo groaned and struggled to get up, and someone grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him up, so he could see them, resting in their arms.

Rukia looked down, her dark hair splayed and her purple eyes riddled with fear. She looked at the wound on his chest, and she looked frantically to the person who had accompanied her. "Can you-"

"He'll be fine." Someone else knelt beside Ichigo, and he recognised the kindly smile of Retsu Unohana. She laid a hand, glowing with a green aura, and Ichigo watched as his wound slowly healed.

"Is he-"

"He's _fine, Rukia. It's weird, but the wound had been cauterised as it had been caused. I've only ever seen this happen to the opponents of General Yamamoto…." Retsu drew her hand away from the wound, which was now sealed. "Ichigo, who did this?"_

"_It was Mitsuhide." Ichigo saw the looks of idiocy on their faces. "You remember I went to the Sokyoku hill to see what was beneath it? It was a sealed Shinigami! He's going to kill Yamamoto right now! I tried to stop him, but-"_

"_It's okay, Ichigo, we'll stop him now," Rukia helped Ichigo up. She and Unohana nodded to each other, and they both set off for the chamber, leaving Ichigo behind. He watched in surprise as they entered the chamber, and left him alone outside. He grunted as the pain in his chest began to fade, and he examined the shards of his sword. He looked back to the chambers, where he knew he was needed. He staggered forward, and headed for the chambers._

_Down in the stairs, leading down to the room where the captains held their convening, Rukia and Retsu where racing down towards them, holding their swords at the ready, in case they where needed instantly. Rukia could feel the spiritual power that was held beneath them, and the closer she got, the more it seemed to weigh her down and make her breathing become laboured. Retsu must have felt it too, because she slowed as well, her breathing becoming mere gasps of air._

_They burst through the doors. On the floors lay countless Shinigami, captains, lieutenants, seated officers. Anyone who had been in the room. Only four people stood in the room; Yamamoto, the old man with the sword of pure fire, Jushiro Ukitake, the white haired captain with the twin blades, and Toshiro Hitsugaya, the smaller captain with the curling dragon of ice behind him. Another man, dressed all in black, holding a simple katana, must have been the man, that Mitsuhide that Ichigo had mentioned. Rukia knew he was the one who's Spiritual Pressure she could feel._

_He turned to her. "You must be Kuchiki? I was expecting you." He turned back to Yamamoto. "Excuse me for a second." He blurred again, this time appearing behind Rukia. Retsu flinched. Not even Shihoin or Soifon could Flash Step that quick. Mitsuhide jabbed a spot on the back of Rukia's neck and she fell unconscious immediately. Retsu tried to turn to face him, but Mitsuhide swung a hand around and smacked his palm into her chest, rendering her immobile as he knocked the wind from her lungs._

_Mitsuhide turned back to the three captains who where still upright. "Sorry about that. Where were we?" he said, and he flourished his sword. Jushiro stepped in front of Yamamoto, brandishing his swords. "Step away, captain. Your not the one I want." Mitsuhide didn't wait. He swung his sword, and the force was so great that Jushiro was knocked clean off his feet and into the wall at the back of the chamber, where he slumped, unconscious. _

"_Ukitake!" yelled Hitsugaya, and his dragon of ice charged forward, towards Mitsuhide, who merely extended his palm, and a blast of force shattered the creature made of ice until only fragments remained. Hitsugaya looked shocked and fearful for an instant, but then suffered the same fate as Jushiro, being blasted to the side, away from Yamamoto, who merely glowered, his scars glowing in the fires of his sword. _

"_What do you want, Mitsuhide?" said the old man, and Mitsuhide smiled._

"_You know what I want. Well, the things that I want." Mitsuhide pointed the tip of his sword at Yamamoto. "I want you dead, for starters. Preferably something slow, and painful, in penance for what you took from me."_

"_And what else?"_

"_Oh, you know," Mitsuhide smiled. "I want to talk to the King of Soul Society."_


	4. Chapter 4

Mitsuhide and Yamamoto stood facing each other, Yamamoto with his burning blade that turned the air to ash, and Mitsuhide with his plain sword, which appeared paltry in comparison. The hatred that seemed to pass between the two was almost as fiery as the flames now rippling from Yamamoto's sword. The old man looked around, at the scores of Shinigami that Mitsuhide had beaten, and at Hitsugaya and Ukitake, who he had discarded with a wave of his hand.

"I see," said the old man, glaring at Mitsuhide. "That you are back to your old self again. I trust your power did not diminish, during your imprisonment?" Mitsuhide laughed, and idly swung his sword so it formed arcs around his body.

"Not one bit, Yama." Mitsuhide gave him a glare of his own. "Guess this means your plan failed, right? I _will_ kill you, no matter what it takes." Mitsuhide flourished his sword, and stood in a battle-ready stance, watching Yamamoto carefully.

"Listen, Mitsuhide, I know you must be-"

"No talking, you lying bastard!" Mitsuhide sped forward, swinging his sword downwards. Yamamoto was only just able to dodge it, before Mitsuhide spun around, brining his sword with him in a wide horizontal arc. Yamamoto leapt up to dodge the strike, and swung his own sword. The two blades clashed, and Yamamoto looked down in shock. Any blade should have been burned to ash by his sword, and here was a sword, not even in _shikai_, holding back his flames with ease.

"Your blade has not dulled since then, has it?" said Yamamoto, and Mitsuhide pushed him away, sending him skidding along the floor. He chuckled. "I should be thankful, at least, that your taking it easy on me, eh?"

"Believe me, I wouldn't be if I could," Mitsuhide glared at him. "I'll never forgive you, Yama. I just want you to know that. I'm the only one still living that knows just exactly who you are, and what you've done." Mitsuhide ran forwards, and Yamamoto swung. Mitsuhide dropped to his knees, sliding across the floor, slashing as he went, and Yamamoto staggered, blood erupting from his thigh. "Do you still remember what you did? What you took from me?" Mitsuhide pointed his sword forwards, blood dripping off it's edge. "Or has senility finally gotten to you?"

"Believe me, this old man has a few tricks left up his sleeve!" Yamamoto spun around, and fired his flames towards Mitsuhide, who smirked and held his blade out before him, running forwards towards the pillar of fire. It seemed to disperse before him, splitting into twin snakes of fire that seemed to be eager not to come near him. Mitsuhide reached Yamamoto, and swung his own sword, the fire he was still spewing forth dying out as the blast of force kicked up a mighty gust of wind. Yamamoto barely saw it coming, as it was, his blade only managed to glance Mitsuhide's, so t merely scratched across his chest, rather then cut open his stomach.

"Your old, Yamamoto! Too old!" Mitsuhide swung again. "Soon, I'll be taking back what's mine!" Mitsuhide and Yamamoto clashed, and Mitsuhide sprung away with a Flash Step. Yamamoto charged forward with his own Flash Step, and they clashed, again and again, their movements invisible as they moved at breakneck speeds. Mitsuhide stabbed down, and impaled Yamamoto's foot to the ground of the chamber, before he charged forward with a fist, swinging for Yama's head. The old man was only just able to remove the sword from his foot and jump away before the wall behind him cracked and broke apart from Mitsuhide's blow.

Someone stirred, on the ground. Both Mitsuhide and Yamamoto looked at who it was who was awakening. Soifon, the leader of the 2nd Division, was trying to struggle up, and Mitsuhide nodded to Yamamoto, before walking over and jabbing her in the same place he had down with Rukia, knocking her out immediately. She fell down again, and Mitsuhide turned back to Yamamoto.

"I hate you, but no one should see you die." Mitsuhide and Yamamoto circled each other. "They respect you as a hero, you know? I think it's stupid and distasteful. You really must have painted a complete lie about yourself, if they're all willing to die for you." Mitsuhide sighed. "The need that respect, I guess. They shouldn't see you for what you really are."

"I've told you countless times that I-"

"I don't want to hear it, Yama." Mitsuhide lazily deflected an attack from the old man, who had Flash Stepped in when he was distracted. "I don't care if your sorry, or if you want to make amends. I have had six centuries to hate you, and right now, I can't just let you go. Not when I can do this!" Mitsuhide flung out his hand. Yamamoto swung down, attempting to cut if off, but Mitsuhide grabbed it. Yamamoto stared in fear. No one could come into contact with his sword and not be burned, but Mitsuhide looked as though it was nothing. Yamamoto couldn't even pull his blade away from his vice-like grip, as Mitsuhide's sword curved round, swinging for Yamamoto's head.

Yamamoto leapt away, leaving his sword behind. He tried to command it back to him, but Mitsuhide kept a firm grip on it. When Yamamoto tried to begin a _kido_ casting, Mitsuhide twirled the old man's sword, held it like a spear and, with a strong, over arm throw, speared it through Yamamoto's chest. As the old man collapsed, Mitsuhide approached, dragging his sword across the ground, and as Yamamoto tried to struggle up, he knelt beside the old man, looking down on him. He flipped him over with a hand, so he was string upwards, and he grabbed the sword embedded in his chest and drew it out, throwing it to the side.

"Guess I win this one, eh, Yama?" Mitsuhide watches as Yamamoto tried to speak. "Don't talk. Listen. Now, I'm going to kill you, not out of hatred, but out of necessity. You need to die. As long as you live, your secrets and lies will destroy Soul Society. Then, I'm going to help the Shinigami against their new opponent, because I have a good feeling that I'm going to know who it is, and how to stop him. I'm going to lead them, I'm going to help them, and I'm going to bring back the King, so that people like you can't rule the Soul Society the way you do."

"Then I'm going to leave." Mitsuhide stood, and looked down on the old man. "I'll do my part and then seal myself back up again. Hopefully, no one will do what you did, and take part of my Zanpakuto from me, but, well, with your death, it will come back to me anyway, wont it?" Mitsuhide spun the sword so the blade pointed down in his hand. "But that's not the only thing you took, is it?" He leant down, to whisper close to Yamamoto, and to see the old man's face. "I wont forgive you for killing her. Not now, not ever. So think of this as justice finally being served, you old bastard."

Mitsuhide snarled as he raised his sword high above his head, and he roared as his blade plunged down, cutting through the air towards the old man's throat. It came within inches, before a black wave of energy struck his sword and sent it spinning into the air. Mitsuhide glared in the direction of the door, waiting for the interloper to step in, as his blade flew back into his hand.

Ichigo stepped in, his _Bankai activated, his black sword held aloft, and he Flash Stepped in, speeding over Yamamoto, towards Mitsuhide, who jumped back as the ground where he had been standing was hit by another Getsuga Tensho, and he barely blocked as Ichigo flew in with his sword, sending both flying back, and the two of them jumped at each other, swords stabbing through the air, cutting towards each other._

_Rukia, on the floor, woke up in time to see them both erupt in a shower of blood._


	5. Chapter 5

Rukia screamed as she watched Ichigo collapse. It was hard, but she got up, and she ran to him as he hit the ground. Mitsuhide was still on his feet, but he was bleeding, a lot. Both men where hit in vital spots, Ichigo in his chest, Mitsuhide in the collar. Ichigo tried to support himself by propping himself up on Zangetsu, but he folded up and hit the ground again. Rukia grabbed him and held him in her arms, and she tried to use the same spell that Retsu had done, to heal Ichigo's wound, but she could barely staunch the bleeding.

Yamamoto tried to struggle up as well, and managed it. He saw how badly injured Mitsuhide was, and he ran forwards, extending his hand, intending to jab the man in his throat. Yamamoto was within inches, when Mitsuhide sniggered, and he not only drove his hand into Yamamoto's wound in his chest, but punched straight through the other side. Both men, blood running from them like from a tap, fell back, hitting the ground with a thud that sounded so final.

Rukia looked down at Ichigo, who was still trying to rise, and she held him down, because the wound was still bleeding. She could hear footsteps coming down the stairs, running, and she knew help was on the way. People on the floor of the chamber where stirring, and by the looks of it, Mitsuhide was dead or dying. She watched as Yamamoto propped himself up, sitting up against a wall, watching Mitsuhide, who lay motionless on the ground.

The door burst open due to a blow from Chad, who shattered the door into thousands of pieces. Yamamoto looked up, suddenly looking very worried. "No!" he called, raising a hand as dozens of Shinigami poured through at speed. "Don't-"

He couldn't finish his warning. Two Shinigami had Flash Stepped in past the torches, and they had been blown out by the speed of it, casting them into total darkness, the only light coming from Ryujin Jakka, still burning on the ground. Yamamoto, Rukia and the barely conscious Ichigo could hear a sort of quiet, manic laugh, and they head movement. Yamamoto yelled; "Get those torches back on! Get some light in here!"

It was too late. They heard screams, and the noise of skin being torn by a blade, and before Yamamoto could grab his sword and set the torches back alight, he felt a sword tip being pressed against his chest. He lit the torches nonetheless, and saw that it was Mitsuhide standing over him, his wound healed, his eyes having gone almost completely black, and his eyes burning with fresh excitement. Yamamoto looked around.

The nly one standing who was uninjured was Chad, who looked like he had seen a ghost. Every other Shinigami in the room had been cut, but not fatally. Men who had been holding swords had been cut across the arms, so they couldn't hold their weapons, and those who had been preparing Kido had been struck in non-fatal places so they had collapsed. Yamamoto looked up to Mitsuhide, who gave him a cold smile that was all too fake.

"You should have told them about that before, shouldn't you?" Mitsuhide laughed. "That's why you wanted to fight me alone, isnt it? You have the only weapon that can possibly counteract my sword's one sealed power. Flames against shadow, right?" Mitsuhide laughed, and sheathed his sword. "Didn't work much, did it?"

"Where are you going?" called Yamamoto, as Mitsuhide walked away. The man turned back to him, and for the first time, Yamamoto saw something besides anger in his eyes. Was it pity? Was it sorrow? He couldn't tell, but he knew it was the only reason he was alive right now.

"I'm going to leave Soul Society for now. Head to the King, then maybe head to the Human World, see if I can track down anyone who can lend a hand to us." Mitsuhide turned away. "You live, for now, Yamamoto, but only because there are far too many people here to see how you die. Like I said, these people need you and the hope you bring."

Mitsuhide Flash Stepped out, and disappeared completely. Now, men and women of the 4th Division poured in, running to those who where injured and healing them, using the skills they had learnt in their days as Shinigami. Ichigo, on the ground, looked at Yamamoto, who was looking shocked, and visibly upset. Rukia was trying to soothe Ichigo with her presence, but he kept trying to get up.

"Ichigo, what are you-"

"He's not normal, that guy," Ichigo looked up to her. "It could feel it. Even when he was half dead on the floor, he still managed to do all this? There was something about him, something I can't quite put my finger on, but that Spiritual Pressure he had was amazing. More terrifying then anything I've ever seen. Yamamoto-san was unable to do anything to stop him." Ichigo tried to get up one more time. "I have to find out who he is, and the old man knows something!"

"Wait until you've been seen to by one of the medical squad," she pleaded, but Ichigo was determined. He managed to pull himself by jamming Zangetsu into the ground, and he staggered over to the old man, who was watching him with interest. The two of them stared at each other for a while, but then Rukia sped over to catch Ichigo as he tumbled backwards, and Yamamoto smiled slightly. Ichigo looked at him with those fierce eyes of his, and he sat up.

"You know something, don't you, about why he was sealed, who he is?" Ichigo glared. "I need to know why he wanted to kill you, Yamamoto." Ichigo stared at Yamamoto, who hesitated. Rukia looked from one to the other, not knowing whether to speak or remain silent. She chose the latter.

"You Don't need to know all of it." Yamamoto sighed, and leant back, not looking at Ichigo, who he knew would be looking at him angrily. "But there is something you should know, if you plan on pursuing him as I'm sure you do. "

"What?"

"The reason he was sealed was not because he was evil, but because he wanted to be sealed away. He was too powerful, but he couldn't be killed by any means we could see. He controls the darkness, you see. That's why he was healed." Yamamoto looked at the flames of the torches. "The darkness heals him, gives him life. So he decided to seal himself away, and watch over and properly care for the power that was collected by the Sokyoku, because he understood the threat it posed t the Soul Society if someone was to get their hands on that kind of power."

"So, what," Ichigo kept his gaze on Yamamoto, who was trying to look innocent. "He was just a normal Shinigami who just _happened_ to be too powerful, and _chose_ to be sealed away? Somehow, I don't believe that. Not if your involved, somehow."

"He was to powerful to be kept in a sealed sate for long, so we agreed to keep his body and Zanpakuto sealed, but his spirit could wander freely. Seven Shinigami captains, of which I was one, where to seal him away. At that time, my blade was weak, and I had not achieved Bankai. After I was told that I would be helping to seal him, I formulated a plan. I changed the spell I chanted, and I took part of his Zanpakuto and merged that part of it with my own. I took part of his power for my own. That's why he hates me."

"That's not all, is it?" said Rukia, and Yamamoto looked at her quizzically. "He said there was something else."

"You don't need to know that. All you need to know is why he was so powerful." Yamamoto looked at Ichigo, who was looking worried as to what the old man was going to say. "You know how the King of Soul Society created the Shinigami? Well, Mitsuhide……" Yamamoto sighed. "Mitsuhide was the _first Shinigami."_

"_The first?"_

"_The first. He bears the power of the first, and most powerful, of all Zanpakuto. Shinigami, the Death God." Yamamoto sighed. "Now he's free, and he wants revenge, not just on me, either. He's going to tear the whole place up," he gave a final sigh, and looked at Ichigo, who's eyes where full of wonderment and fear. "He's going to kill the King."_


	6. Chapter 6

Ichigo and Rukia where moving fast. The Shinigami had split into groups and where scouring the Seretei for Mitsuhide, although only Ichigo and Rukia where actually being sent to the one place he could actually be. There was only one place that Mitsuhide could use to gain entry to the King's chambers, and while they had never seen it before, they now knew where it was. Yamamoto's whispered words before they had left where still going through their minds.

He's not evil, he had said, before sending them on their way. He was once one of the most noble men I knew. But he has spent centuries locked up, alone, with only his Zanpakuto as company. It drove him insane, that isolation. If you can, bring him back to the good side. Because he is the only one who can defeat our enemies.

Ichigo stopped for a second. He looked around, trying to spot this chamber they where looking for. He turned to Rukia. "Where did he say it was?"

"Deep below the Seretei." Rukia stopped as well, looking around. "I know the place he said to find, but it's always been under such heavy guard…..we have to look for a small chamber in the middle of a group of trees. I remember because the place always looked so beautiful in the summer."

"Well, that's the only bit of grass I can see," Ichigo said, pointing. Rukia nodded, and ran ahead, with Ichigo following close behind. They knew they where heading along the right path, because as soon as they landed on the edge of the small field, they could see the Shinigami who guarded it unconscious on the ground, some bleeding badly, others trying to crawl away. As Rukia headed for the door, which was only hanging on by a single hinge, Ichigo ran over to one of the guards.

"Did he get through?" he asked, and the man struggled up.

"We were no match for him. I don't know who he was, but he got us all in one blow. It was impossible to defend against him." the Shinigami grunted, and clutched his side. "He broke through the seals on the door like they where nothing……he's already heading down to the portal. Captain Hirako and his lieutenant arrived and followed him, but even they wont be any use!"

"Okay. Wait here, help will arrive soon." Ichigo got up and sped after Rukia, holding his sword ready. She must have gotten some way down, because he couldn't see her along the spiral staircase. He reached the ground floor, where a massive circular door would have stood, but it lay in shards on the ground, broken and destroyed like the door high above. Rukia was stood there, watching something.

"Rukia, what is it?" he asked, and he ran forwards, to her side. She shook her head and pointed. Ichigo looked, and the more he stood there, the more he felt like an iron weight was being laid on his ribs, because he could sense that massive Spiritual Pressure again. He gasped at what he saw, and pushed Rukia out of the way as a bolt of energy sped their way, and was flung aside by the blast.

Shinji stood there, holding his sword aloft. He wasn't going to use his Shikai if his opponent wasn't going to, but he was bleeding from four different wounds on his body. Lisa, his lieutenant, was hanging back, watching the fight, but he knew that if she joined in, then this man would kill her before she could even have a chance to help.

"What do you want?" he asked, and the man before him merely laughed. Behind Shinji stood the glowing portal, the door to the world of the King of Soul Society, and Shinji had an inkling that he was probably after the King. Aizen had tried, and failed, but this man was different.

"Move out of my way, Captain," said the man. "Otherwise, I'll have to kill you too." He charged and swung, and Shinji was only just able to dodge out of the way. He himself attacked at his opponents exposed back, but his attack was blocked and he was flung away by the force of a blow. Shinji righted himself in mid air, but his enemy hadn't moved.

"Who are you? Your Spiritual Pressure is similar to that of Yamamoto……are you connected to him?" Shinji watched as Lisa snuck up behind the man, who smirked and sheathed his sword.

"No, I am not. And as for who I am…….my name is Mitsuhide. That's all you need to know." The man sighed, and Shinji noted that Lisa was getting ready to use her Shikai. He prepared to charge himself, but Mitsuhide suddenly eyed him with curiosity. "Tell me, why do you have the Reishi similar to that of a hollow, or an Arrancar?"

"You can sense that?"

"Yes. Which is odd, because the Vizard where banned by the Shinigami thousands of years ago. It was my duty to kill them, once upon a time." Mitsuhide gripped the handle of his sword in one hand, and taking a battle stance. "So before I head to the King, I guess I shall have to eliminate you…….and your lieutenant!"

Lisa charged. She yelled out her release command, Smash, and as her Nodachi transformed into the large spear, she swung the fanned out blade and made to cut Mitsuhide across the back. Shinji charged as well, swinging his sword, both blades coming within centimetres of Mitsuhide's skin at the same time. Shinji noted, just before his sword struck, that Mitsuhide's eyes weren't even looking at him, but at Lisa.

He grabbed both of their weapons in each of his hands, and both Lisa and Shinji where rooted to the spot. Mitsuhide smiled, and he crushed both Shinji's sword and Lisa's spear with the merest twitch of his hand, and in the same movement, grabbed his sword, pulled it free, and spun around, cutting Shinji across the chest and knocking Lisa away into the wall. Shinji staggered back as Mitsuhide grabbed him and drove his sword through his stomach.

He drew his sword back, and smirked as he made to stab it through Shinji's neck. His eyes twitched to the side for a second, and then he groaned as Ichigo smashed into him and carried him away through the portal. Shinji saw, just before Ichigo and Mitsuhide disappeared through the glowing portal, that Ichigo pulled on his hollow mask and began to change into his Bankai form.

One thought crossed his mind, as he slumped forward onto the ground. Why hadn't Mitsuhide tried to kill Lisa? Shinji laughed at the thought, as he bled out, but it struck him, before he slipped away, that Mitsuhide hadn't actually had any anger towards them, and he hadn't even struck Shinji in fatal places. He laughed again.


	7. Chapter 7

Mitsuhide kicked away from Ichigo. The boy spun through the air and landed on his feet, expecting Mitsuhide to strike. He did not. Ichigo looked around. He had no idea where they where. There seemed to be no walls, yet at the same time no floor or any visible ceiling. The entire place seemed to be made of a black and purple mist that moved like it was living. Mitsuhide seemed to glow in here, with an eerie purple light that ringed him like a full-body halo.

Ichigo gripped his sword tighter. Zangetsu seemed to be afraid of this place, and he could even feel his inner hollow trying to tell him to flee, but he refused to listen, despite the look which Mitsuhide seemed to be giving him. The man grinned and walked forwards, towards him, and although he was walking at a snail-like pace, he was right there in front of Ichigo within an instant, and he grabbed Zangetsu by the blade and held Ichigo in place.

"Poor choice of arena, Ichigo," said Mitsuhide, and he flung Ichigo away across this ethereal room and sent him flying into the mist that surrounded them, which parted before him. Mitsuhide was there, at his side, when he landed, and Ichigo hadn't even heard him move. "You really didn't listen to the old man, did you? A sword of shadow. That's my blade. Shinigami. And right now, where do you think we are?"

"It doesn't matter!" Ichigo spun around and fired a Getsuga Tensho at him, but Mitsuhide laughed and disappeared. When he spoke again, Ichigo felt like he was being talked to from every direction, every possible angle.

"Oh, but it does." Mitsuhide's voice reverberated around Ichigo, and he spun around, looking for the man. "You see, I made this place. To keep the King safe, long ago. A bridge between the two worlds, made of living shadow, that I can use, I can change, to use as my weapon. I can lock out whoever I choose, and I can kill you with a wave of my hand."

"Then why don't you?"

"Antagonising me is not a good idea right now," said Mitsuhide, suddenly behind him. "But where would be the fun in killing you? Believe me, Ichigo, there is a lot you don't know about that sword of yours. To destroy it would be a crime. It is……beautiful to me." Mitsuhide moved, and Ichigo felt Zangetsu leave his hand, and before he could help it, the sword was in Mitsuhide's hand. "That raw power……you really have no idea the potential of this sword."

"Give it back!" Ichigo charged and took Mitsuhide off guard. He grabbed the sword hilt and swung it around and down, chopping off Mitsuhide's arm and cutting across his chest in one swift movement. He spun away, landing some distance away, but Mitsuhide hadn't even reacted, despite the fact he was now bleeding from a wound in his gut and a stump for an arm.

"You really don't pay attention, do you?" Mitsuhide sighed. Ichigo watched carefully, because he was shocked to see that what was running from Mitsuhide was not blood, but a thick black and purple liquid that looked like oil. As Ichigo watched, the mist that surrounded him solidified into tendrils of darkness, and they swarmed over Mitsuhide. When they receded, he stood, healed, his clothes intact and his limbs renewed.

"What the-"

"The shadow heals me, you dunce." Mitsuhide sighed and swung his blade. Ichigo leapt aside, because a wave of purple light had burst out of his sword and seared across the plane and headed straight for him. He righted himself to find Mitsuhide standing there, his sword held in front of him, his eyes closed. Ichigo took this chance, imbibing his blade with a Getsuga Tensho and charging. When he was above, he swung his sword.

Tendrils of darkness stopped him, wrapping around his limbs, rooting him in place. Mitsuhide looked up. "Normally, I don't use this. It kills people without meaning to, it makes me…….someone else. But seeing as we're the only two here, I think I can excuse it this one time." Mitsuhide sighed and turned from Ichigo. "It's time you saw my Shikai."

"What! You mean this isnt your-"

"No, this is my sealed sword. Unlike yours, mine is not in a fixed Shikai state." He sighed again. Sheathed his sword. When he turned to Ichigo, it was with eyes full of pity. "I am sorry for this. But I need to show you. Need to stop you from preventing me from completing my task." He closed his eyes again. Muttered a few words. "Reap, Shinigami."

Ichigo was blasted away. A dark light, glittering with a bright purple, covered Mitsuhide in a sphere. Ichigo watched, aghast at this transformation, and he felt the spiritual pressure increase drastically. Whereas before it gave him a feeling of pure dread, now it was a crushing weight on his lungs, stopping him from breathing, stopping him from being able to move. He was rooted to the spot, shaking with fear.

Mitsuhide walked out of the sphere of black light. He had no sword in his hand, but that appeared to be the only change. His hair had gone completely black and now his eyes where completely devoid of whites, but he appeared no different. He smirked, and Ichigo noticed a slight fang-like nature to his teeth.

"My Shikai." Mitsuhide held out his hand, and the sphere of light turned into a long stream of black shadow that encircled his arm. When it receded, he was holding a katana with two parallel blades, a chain attached to the handle that ran up and around his arm, and, in the other hand, a small crucifix shaped buckler. "Now, Ichigo, I think the time for talk is over. Draw!"

Ichigo charged, as did Mitsuhide, both clashing in an explosion of sparks, Ichigo sending out the red light of Getsuga Tensho, Mitsuhide sending out tendrils of shadow with every hit. Both circled, spinning and weaving, each striking and parrying with unerring speed. Ichigo struck at the same time as Mitsuhide, and both parried at the same moments. Both ducked and weaved with the same level of skill, which was unnerving, for Ichigo. Because he could see the smile on Mitsuhide's face. He wasn't taking it seriously. Ichigo was giving it his all.

Mitsuhide brought up his buckler. Ichigo had thought it merely a shield, but as Mitsuhide gave him a slight smile, the crucifix slid back and revealed a short barrel made of silvery steel, which Ichigo stared down as he saw a bullet form in the chamber, made of solidified shadow. Mitsuhide pulled the trigger, and Ichigo saw the bang, and could have sworn he had seen the bullet fly from the chamber towards him.


	8. Chapter 8

Ichigo barely dodged the shot; he felt a few strands of hair cut away. He backflipped and sliced, but Mitsuhide blocked it with the sword and brought his buckler back around, the gun barrel blazing as he fired shot after shot at Ichigo, who had to summon every ounce of skill he had into blocking each successive shot, and once he had deflected the last, he was barely able to block the oncoming strike from Mitsuhide.

"Your good, you know that?" Mitsuhide laughed, and it was a high-pitched derisive sneer. "But unfortunately for you you're going up against the master!" Mitsuhide flipped away, and raised his sword. It became wrapped in an all-too-familiar light, and Ichigo groaned as he realised what it was. Mitsuhide snarled. "Getsuga……Tensho!" He swung his sword and a black Getsuga Tensho fired out, almost as quick as Ulquiorra's Cero.

Ichigo expected to be hit by it. There was no way he could have dodged. But he felt someone grab him from the front, leap before him, and he saw them exploded in a shower of blood as the last hit them. Once the light and the dust had dissipated, Ichigo saw who was clutching him. "No!" he shouted. "Rukia! No!" She fell. She wasn't even conscious. Ichigo knew that she was dead. She wasn't moving, and a massive hole had been rent from her back.

"Oops," said Mitsuhide, giggling. It broke Ichigo, who snapped and charged. He managed to actually catch Mitsuhide off guard again, and he stabbed him through the gut. Mitsuhide snarled and head butted him, dragging Zangetsu out of him and stabbing Ichigo with his own sword. Mitsuhide then brought around Shinigami, and he sliced Ichigo across the chest. Both men charged again, fighting on adrenaline, and Ichigo cut him again across the chest and then again across both legs. Mitsuhide roared and shot Ichigo through the shoulder and then spun around and threw his sword at him.

Ichigo dodged it, barely, and spun away, charging again and bringing a hand to his face. His Hollow Mask formed, and Mitsuhide laughed. He stood still as a hollowified Ichigo charged, but Mitsuhide grabbed Zangetsu in a single hand and twisted the blade, before driving his hand into Ichigo's face, smashing the mask. "A Vizard as well? How many of you rats are there!?" Mitsuhide flung Ichigo away, but the Hollow had already taken control, and it flipped through the air, bounded off the walls of mist and flung itself at him again.

Mitsuhide was the one to be hit, this time by a smash to the stomach, the fist breaking out through the other side of his chest. He wasn't deterred, he merely kicked away from Ichigo and spun in the air as the orange haired boy followed him. They clashed in mid-air, their blade rebounding again and again, and Mitsuhide felt Zangetsu drag across his ribcage as he himself drove his sword across Ichigo's collar. Both exploded, red gore flowing from them, as they staggered away from each other. Ichigo turned around, as did Mitsuhide.

Ichigo's eyes returned to normal, and his hollow mask shattered and turned into fragments which sailed into the air. Mitsuhide had to use his sword to prop himself up. Both where panting for breath, and both where bleeding like a faucet. Ichigo stared at him. "Why," he panted, "Don't…..you……heal….yourself……with the……..shadow?"

"That would be…..cheating." Mitsuhide readied his sword and threw his buckler away. "I say we finish this…….in one last blow…….a single attack…….with as much power behind it as we can muster. The survivor……gets to continue on ahead." Mitsuhide looked at Ichigo expectantly.

"I don't want to go ahead!" he shouted, but Mitsuhide laughed. "Fine," said Ichigo, "Have it your way!" Ichigo readied his sword as well, and both men shut their eyes. Ichigo began to emanate black light, and he seemed to radiate the energy of Getsuga Tensho, the energy rippling from his back. Mitsuhide began to glow with a purple light, and as Ichigo watched, the light formed a massive, rippling, tattered cloak behind him, and the katana in his hand changed to a massive scythe. Black fire spewed from all over his body, and he nodded.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Both men charged. Ichigo gritted his teeth, moving as fast as he could, holding his blade point first. Mitsuhide, coming the opposite way, moving just as fast, readied his scythe for the strike, spinning it in circles. Both men roared, just before they hit each other. Rukia looked up, just in time to see both men get within mere feet of one another, both looking furious and radiating with massive amounts of power.

"Stop!" she cried. It came too late.

She heard them clash. They sped past each other, Ichigo holding his sword as though he had just cut upwards, Mitsuhide holding his scythe as though he had cut downwards. Both men began to walk awa from each other. Ichigo burst first, his back tearing apart fro the delayed reactions to the blows Mitsuhide had struck him with, his skin ripping to shreds. Mitsuhide followed suit, soon after, his torso ripping apart all across from the shoulder down to the hip. Both men collapsed and fell to the ground.

Rukia couldn't move. If she could have, she would have ran over to Ichigo, who she could feel slipping away. Mitsuhide was still as present as ever, but she could feel Ichigo, her precious Kurosaki, slipping away from her……she began to cry, and called out his name.

"Shut up, girl." Mitsuhide moaned from the ground. He laid a palm on the misty floor, and the tendrils of darkness formed, not around himself, but around Ichigo. They covered him, entwining him in their dark shadow, and when they receded, he was completely healed, although his clothes hadn't yet reformed. Mitsuhide sighed. "Tell him…….he won."

Rukia felt her own wounds seal up, and knew Mitsuhide was behind it. She saw Ichigo stir, and squealed in joy. She made to get up, but the pain was still unbearable. Ichigo rose, and looked around. Rukia did too, and couldn't see Mitsuhide anywhere. Ichigo gave her a frightened look, and she looked back, where Lisa was entering.

"Where did he go?" she asked. She had just come through the portal to the Seretei. Ichigo and Rukia gave each other fearful looks, and both of them knew where he was.

*

Mitsuhide waited until the doors had truly shattered, and the dust had settled. He was still feeling the ill effects of his fight with Ichigo…….which was odd, because the kid had actually managed to damage him quite badly. But he walked through the shards, into the massive chamber within, and as the blows rained down on him he held out a hand. A sphere of dark mist formed around him, and blasted away anyone who came near.

Kifune watched as he walked across the carpeted floor up to the marble staircase leading up to where she, and the captain of the Royal Guard, stood waiting, both holding their swords at the ready. Mitsuhide looked up to them and smiled. He smashed his scythe into the ground, and dragged it out so the point was pointing up the stairs. As the blade came out, the marble shattered, and the debris flew up towards Kifune and the captain. She blocked it with a hand, but Mitsuhide was suddenly there, flying through the shower of marble dust and chunks.

He smashed the captain in the stomach, and Kifune was barely able to move before he had grabbed her around the throat and pinned her to the doors where, both knew, the King was waiting. He laughed, as he saw the seal, and he let her go, laughing and turning away.

"Well, it looks like I'm back!"

He struck.


	9. Chapter 9

Ichigo entered through the portal. For a second, there was nothing but darkness, and then, in a flash of bright white light, he emerged, in the world of the King of Soul Society. Every was full of trees, of cherry trees that fluttered in the breeze, their pink petals flowing everywhere. It was beautiful. The ground was covered in them, and the whole place seemed to glow with a pale sunlight that was almost never seen in the real world.

A long way away, through a trail made by two rows of arched trees that made a sheltered alcove, was a tall building, like a temple, with great rising steps on either side, and a great pillar rising from the centre. He knew that was where Mitsuhide would be headed. He could feel that pressure, that spiritual power. He waited there for a second, while his clothing began to reform itself, and he knew his swords power was recharging.

Two people emerged from either side of him. On his left, Hitsugaya emerged, holding his sword at the ready, expecting an ambush. On the other side, Soifon entered, her needle pointed weapon on her hand. She was looking as stern as ever, and not completely lacking of fear. She had seen what Mitsuhide had done to Yamamoto.

"I assume we're going over there?" she asked, pointing with her weapon to the large building in the distance. Hitsugaya nodded. Ichigo Flash-Stepped off the steps which led up to the portal and landed on a tree branch, and his footsteps where soon echoed by Toshihiro and Soifon, who both followed close behind.

"Ichigo, slow down. We need a proper strategy," said Hitsugaya. Ichigo's speed didn't falter- he knew they had a lot of ground to cover. Hitsugaya caught up. "Remember that this man has not just bested you, but myself, captain Ukitake, captain Hirako, most of the other captains and even Yamamoto! He must be contained."

"We'll go for the traditional method of attack." Soifon jumped forwards so she was taking the lead. "The old Tiger-Dragon-Bee attack, okay?" Soifon sped ahead, but Ichigo moved fast- they had both been trained by Yoruichi. Soifon mumbled something, but Ichigo didn't here it. Hitsugaya attempted to catch up to both of them, but they where both so anxious to get ahead of each other, they had left the young captain behind completely.

*

Mitsuhide stood over Kifune. She was stood there, the scythe blade embedded in the woodwork a few inches from her head. She was panting, because she couldn't breathe, partially because of fear and anxiety, partially because of the immense pressure bearing down on her. Mitsuhide looked to the wooden door and knocked on it.

"Fairly solid this, isn't it?" he said, and laughed. "You know, I fully expected this to shatter. But now I'm close up, I see the seals that cover it. Clever work, I'll say. Unfortunately," Mitsuhide placed his hand on the door, which glowed purple as a shield tried to stop his hand from touching the actual surface. The closer he got to touching it, the stronger the light became, until finally it all began to absorb into his palm, finally becoming a spinning star of power over his hand. He smiled. "I can use any kind of power to my own will."

He blasted the door apart. Inside was a long corridor, that led up to a small lift, probably big enough for one, to rise to the very top of the tower. To the King's chambers. He meant to walk over her, to grab his scythe, but suddenly she was up again, flying upwards through the sky. She held her sword and threw it into the air above her.

"Pierce, Daio!" She drew her hand back and caught the sword, which exploded into light. When it reformed, it was in the shape of a bow, and a quiver formed on her back, although the arrows where made of light. Oh damn, thought Mitsuhide, a light-based weapon. He cursed and flourished his scythe. She fired two arrows at him, which flew as fast as bullets, towards his head. He deflected both with ease, but his scythe burned where they had touched it.

"You- You hurt Shinigami!" He bounced off the shards of wall behind him and flew up so he was level with her, but she blocked his attack with the edge of her bow, which was edged with white light. He could see the edge of Shinigami glowing red-hot. Cursing, he forced her away, and formed a platform of shadow beneath his feet to use as a kick-stand, flying forwards and swinging his scythe.

She dodged, Flash-Stepping to the ground, and she held her hand up and gathered light within it, before bringing it to the bow and firing what must have been a hundred arrows in quick succession. Knowing fully well that Shinigami wouldn't resist that many, he formed a massive wall of darkness between them both, but the arrows pierced it, each one flying through, and he was forced to dodge and deflect all that came his way.

As he deflected the last of them, she sped upwards, firing as she went, and he spun his scythe around like a fan, sending them flying away, and he swung and hit her across the face with the blunt end of his scythe. She went flying, hitting the wall at the far side of the chamber, and he sank to the ground. Looking down, he noticed that one of his wounds from his battle with Ichigo had begun to bleed again. Damn. What had that kid done to him? This girl should have been easy to kill.

She charged again, this time firing a massive beam of light from her bow, taking him off guard. He cursed and barely dodged it, although the beam itself singed his back as he spun away, and as he brought Shinigami around to slice her across the arm, he noticed that the blade had been blasted off. Cursing, he merely attacked with the blunt stick, and despite the lack of a sharp edge, he still managed to smack her away, smashing her into the floor and knocking her bow away.

She rose up, and flipped away as he swung his stave again. She held out a hand. "Kido 99! Death Imprisonment!" Mitsuhide looked around him as a block of darkness erupted around him, blocking him in and completely covering him. Blades formed around the edges. They stabbed into it. Massive amounts of energy surged into it, causing the whole thing to shake and burst into black flame, which seeped into it and burned him. She knew this, because she had seen it done before, and as she moved her hand, a massive pendulum blade appeared and cut the whole thing into two pieces.

She fully expected to see him in two pieces, dead on the ground. All that was there was the rapidly dissolving Kido. She looked around. She couldn't see him anywhere. Just as she realised where he was, she cursed. He popped out of her own shadow, grabbed her around the waist, and flew upwards. As they neared the top of the chamber, he broke her spine and threw her down into the ground. Holding out his hand to form the nearly reformed scythe, he spun down like a yoyo, blade extended, and, as she watched, helpless, he stabbed it into her gut.

He backed away, looking down on her. Laughing, he walked away, leaving the scythe there, stuck up like some grotesque marker. Well, he needed to tell Ichigo he was waiting, didn't he?


	10. Chapter 10

Mitsuhide walked up the steps. The shadows al around him where rushing up to him, and they snaked up his arm and formed a massive Nodachi blade in his hand. He let it rest on his shoulder an stood t the top of the stairs, shouting under his breath. Before he had even reached three, the doors he had shattered on his way in flew open and Ichigo burst through, carrying Zangetsu and wearing his Hollow mask.

Mitsuhide didn't even turn to deflect the Getsuga Tensho that was fired his way. He laughed and turned around, and he clashed briefly with Ichigo before sending him flying away. "Why do you insist on trying, Ichigo? You knew you can't stop me. You tried once already, remember?"

"I wont let you!" Ichigo charge forward. He fired a Cero, and Mitsuhide cursed and Flash Stepped away from the blast. Mitsuhide then turned and did something that caught Ichigo off guard- he fired a Bala. The red bullet hit Ichigo on the side an sent him spinning through the air and crashing into the remains of the staircase. Mitsuhide didn't let him rest e fired another Bala, and another, until nothing was left of the stairs, and Ichigo was forced into the air.

"How?-" Ichigo was unable to answer, as soon after, Mitsuhide fired another Bala. Ichigo fired a Getsuga Tensho at it, and both rounds hit each other an negated one another. Mitsuhide laughed and jumped into the air, and Ichigo fought with him for a while, and despite the massive nature of Mitsuhide's sword, he was moving more nimbly then Ichigo, who had to use every ounce of strength he could muster to avoid being torn to shreds.

"I was the first Shinigami, Ichigo. The Grim Reaper himself." Mitsuhide knocked Ichigo's sword aside and cut him across the mask, chipping it. "You Don't think the King would have let me fight the Hollow without giving me their powers first, right? I wasn't just the first Shinigami, I was the first Vizard!" Mitsuhide swung his sword and although Ichigo blocked it, he was still sent flying. "Except unlike you, I defeated my inner-hollow!"

Mitsuhide let his sword fall limp to his side, and his eyes glowed black for a second. Ichigo looked up, and his Hollow eyes widened for an instant, just before Mitsuhide laughed. He fired his Cero, which fired straight from his eyes in a massive cone, enveloping much of the chamber. Mitsuhide fired another one, at the space above where he had just fired, for good measure, and then fired Bala after Bala into the wreckage.

He stood there, confident that Ichigo was down for good, and he turned away. His first mistake. His second one was letting his sword dissolve. His third was not making sure Ichigo was actually dead. The orange haired boy appeared behind him in a Sonido step, and stabbed him through the gut, so the blade of Zangetsu nailed him to the ground as well. He cursed. Looked around.

Ichigo laughed. "The Tiger-Dragon-Bee manoeuvre. It took me, Hitsugaya and Soifon a long time to actually come up with this, because, well, neither of us likes working together. But oh, how it works. It especially works against Arrancar. Especially over-confident Arrancar." Ichigo placed his hand on Mitsuhide's back. Fired a Cero of his own, tearing out a large chunk of the man's spine. "If you havent guessed by now, I'm the Tiger. He's the Dragon!"

Mitsuhide looked to the left. Hitsugaya came charging in, and the dragon of ice made of his Zanpakuto sped forwards, and Ichigo darted away, leaving Mitsuhide rooted to the spot. The dragon spun around him, and encased him in ice, and although he appeared to struggle, the combined force of being nailed to the ground by Zangetsu and being encased in Hitsugaya's ice was too much for him. Both Toshihiro and Ichigo looked to Mitsuhide's right.

"Now, Soifon!" They both shouted, and the woman darted from the shadows and landed in front of Mitsuhide. She stabbed through the ice and pierced him once in the chest, making the butterfly symbol appear on his chest. She drew her hand back, ready to strike again- and saw his smirk. She tried to move back in time, but it was too late. The ice broke apart, and shards of it stick into her like bullets. Ichigo had the sense to duck behind the wreckage, and Hitsugaya blocked them with a shield, but Soifon was riddled with fragments of ice.

Mitsuhide tore Zangetsu from him and threw it away, and his wounds healed again. He held out his hand, and a massive crucifix formed in his hands, leant across both shoulders. Hitsugaya sent the dragon flying towards him again, but Mitsuhide merely laughed, and he hefted the cross, which split apart, revealing a massive blade that spurted from the centre section, and he used it to cut the dragon in two with a Getsuga Tensho.

He then spun around, knocking the shards everywhere, and he hopped up, as more of the cross slid apart, revealing a multitude of gun barrels in the sections of the cross. He laughed, and fired it at Hitsugaya, who realised the Ceros heading for him, and he darted to the side, jumping from point to point, as every time he landed, he had a split second before Mitsuhide hit the spot with another round. Ichigo charged, and was knocked away by the blade, and the guns where again turned on Hitsugaya.

Hitsugaya activated his Bankai. He charged forward with claws of ice, blocking the Cero blasts with a massive shield of ice, and as he slid forward on a slide made of ice he spewed forth, Mitsuhide's weapon changed to a massive axe. Although it looked like it was far too big for even someone like Komura to heft, he moved with surprising speed and smashed his shield and his wings, and cut Hitsugaya across the face. Ichigo charged again, but Mitsuhide brought the axe around in a massive arc and cut both him and a newly arisen Hitsugaya in one movement. Both flew away, and Mitsuhide stood there, grinning, in a centre of destruction.

Ichigo struggled up. He was now changing. The Hollow was coming to the surface, like it had done with Ulquiorra, the horns forming and the long mane of orange hair flowing from his mask, which enveloped his head. He stood there, with Zangetsu in his hand, and fired a Cero from between his horns, Mitsuhide fired his own, and sighed. He watched as the two Ceros imploded as they touched, and he raised his sword.

"I'm sorry Ichigo. This wasn't meant to happen. You where meant to live. But your in the way. So prepare to see," Mitsuhide brought his axe, which rapidly changed into the Nodachi again, close to his face. "True fear." He closed his eyes, and Ichigo knew something was up. He charged, but it was too late. Mitsuhide was already muttering the incantation.

"Take their souls, Shinigami!" Mitsuhide held his sword aloft, and a mass of black fire erupted from it. His entire body became a phoenix of black fire, but Ichigo knew something was up. Then he realised what. Behind Mitsuhide, the black fire change, from mere flames to fire that formed a massive cloaked figure with a scythe behind him. The black fire then covered him, so he looked like he was the mass of black fire, with the long flowing cloak made of pure darkness and the scythe of black flame in his hands. He ran forwards.

Ichigo didn't stand a chance.

Mitsuhide must have cut him around a hundred times before he passed by. The fire burned him with every cut, and every time the sword cut him, the scythe of black fire cut him a few moments later, the fire following him like a doppelganger. Mitsuhide didn't spare him one piece of pain, but instead tore him to shreds, cutting his mask into ribbons and tearing Zangetsu apart. Mitsuhide then fired a massive stream of black fire at him, and it engulfed Ichigo, as Mitsuhide brought his scythe down at neck height.

Something struck him that caused him searing pain. He looked down. Someone had fired a spell at him. No. Not a spell. An arrow. He looked up at the doorway to the tower, and saw a group of people standing there. He snarled. Uryu stepped forwards, backed by Chad, Rukia and Orihime.

"Sorry we're late, Ichigo." He readied another arrow. "We'll take it from here."


	11. Chapter 11

Mitsuhide cursed. Uryu fired another arrow, which he dodged, but two more shot into his left arm, knocking his scythe out of his arm. He cursed, and a pistol sprang into his right hand, which he fired at Uryu, but Orihime summoned her host of spirits, which formed the shield before them and blocked the shot. Mitsuhide phased his arm out, dislodging the arrows, before another two sailed towards him. He jumped away, cursing.

"I frickin' hate Quincy." He jumped away and fired again, but Orihime used her shield spirits to lift them up with a shield below and fly them away. Now, Orihime and Uryu where circling around him, and Uryu fired shot after shot, and although he dodged them, they where now coming from all sides. It was all he could do to fire randomly, but they where moving too fast for him to target. Just when he thought he could get a bead on them, he heard someone land next to him, and he flew away as Chad smashed the ground up beneath him. He swivelled in mid air, but this time Rukia jumped up behind him, her sword arcing around and cutting him across the back.

He flipped over and landed on his feet, healing his back, but a swarm of arrows stuck into him and Uryu leapt over him, off Orihime's shield and into the air above, and he mumbled something, and Mitsuhide had a brief moment to raise his hand before a thousand arrows made of light poured down and rained on his location. Uryu landed gracefully on the shield at the other side, Orihime having spun around, and Chad, Rukia and the two on the shield stood, watching the smoke for a second, to see if their joint attack had worked.

A shape staggered out of the smoke. It was indeed Mitsuhide, and he looked like a porcupine, stuck with hundreds of arrows. He was bleeding all over, and Uryu raised his bow again. Mitsuhide looked up, and then, his pupils dilating, he roared out, and he bent backwards and let out a true roar of anger, sending the others staggering backwards. Chad stayed and watched, stoically behind his shield arm, as the arrows shot out of Mitsuhide. The arrow-holes remained, and he realised Uryu was right, and light-based attacks where effectively the only way to hurt him.

He raised his arm, ready to shoot the beam from his fist that he was sure would obliterate Mitsuhide, but the man finished his roar and glared. Chad faltered for a moment. A moment, in which Mitsuhide disappeared. All of them looked around, but heard a whistling above them. They looked up. Mitsuhide was stood on the ceiling, and he was holding two large scythes, each twice as big as he was. He grinned for a moment, and then he bounded off the roof and sped towards them. Before any could react, he was moments from cutting them to ribbons.

A shield, made of ice, sprang up from the ground, and blocked the attack, although both scythe blades actually punctured the ice. Hitsugaya, bleeding heavily, appeared before them, his Bankai unleashed, and with a deft movement of his hands, he sent his ice roaring forward, encasing Mitsuhide with a sphere of ice with a tiny hole remaining uncovered. Soifon sprang up, her Bankai on her arm, and she fired the missile into the sphere, which imploded and sent shards flying through the chamber. In the cloud of smoke, Uryu sent arrows, Orihime sent her attack spirits, and Chad sent a blast wave, and before the smoke was even clear, they had exhausted most of their energy.

Uryu walked forward, holding his bow at the ready, but he needn't have worried. Mitsuhide collapsed, heavily injured, to the floor, and he lay there, completely still. Uryu nudged him with a boot, but the man lay still. He turned back. "It's okay. He's-"

He looked down. Mitsuhide had moved. Orihime gasped and pointed, and Uryu followed her gaze down to his chest, where a scythe blade protruded through his chest. He collapsed forward, and Mitsuhide stepped up, bleeding like a tap, removing his weapon from the Quincy. "I……frickin'…….hate……Quincy." Mitsuhide used his scythe as a support. "Too smart…….never any fun."

"You-!" Orihime ran up, but a slap knocked her away, rolling across the floor.

"Don't even think about it." Mitsuhide was healing, except from where the arrows had hit him. "Stupid Quincy. You know, I was glad when they where wiped out. With them around I was no longer the top guy anymore. Their arrows hurt!" Mitsuhide looked around. "Move. You guys don't have to die too. This guy," he said, kicking Uryu. "He doesn't need to die neither. But unless you move, he will. Trust me on this."

"Where's Ichigo?" said Rukia. Taken aback, Mitsuhide clicked his fingers, and Ichigo fell from a portal hovering above the ground. "Ichigo!" Rukia ran forward and lifted him up as he coughed blood. Chad and the two captains formed a triangle around Mitsuhide.

"I was serious. You don't have to die."

"We know." Chad smirked. "You do."

It was then that Mitsuhide noted the tiny pinprick on his back. Without turning, he looked back, and Uryu was there, his bow pressed to his upper back, a smile on his face. "Game over." he said, laughing, and, before Mitsuhide could turn, he fired ten arrows into his chest, through his heart and lungs, and out the other side. Mitsuhide coughed, and then, with a final thud, he collapsed onto the ground. Uryu fell forward, but Orihime caught him, and her healer spirits immediately went to work on him and Ichigo.

"Son of a bitch nearly got to the king." Soifon cursed. "Good thing he's dead now." She kicked the corpse, and laughed. Chad frowned at her disrespect, as Hitsugaya fell to his knees, exhausted. Even his fights with the Arrancar or Aizen hadn't been this draining. He noticed something though. A feeling in the air. Like all the Reishi was being sucked from the air. He looked around. Soifon was doing a sort of dance in celebration, while Ichigo and Rukia conversed about what had happened. Hitsugaya looked to Mitsuhide's body. It was most certainly dead. Unless……

Soifon exploded. Her back cascaded with blood, and she looked surprised as cuts appeared all over her skin. She was flung forward, and then her front burst open, and she laughed as her eyes glazed over, and she fell backwards. Chad and Hitsugaya where now up and about, looking around, but they had no idea where the strike had come from. Mitsuhide was still laying on the floor. But, before they could find the source, from the stairs came the sounds of footsteps.

"You know, I really would have left her alone, but then she kicked me." Mitsuhide laughed. "That hurt my feelings." Behind him, as he walked, darkness fell like the tail of a long robe, covering his shoulders and head as he dragged a long scythe with a handle made of bone, along the stairs. "Tough luck, guys. Turns out not even Uryu can kill me." He smirked and launched himself forward. Chad blocked the blow, but only because Mitsuhide had let him. He punched the boy in his face, breaking his nose, and as he fell to his knees, Mitsuhide looked at Orihime and Rukia, the only uninjured ones there.

"Let's have some fun, shall we?"


	12. Chapter 12

Orihime instantly put up her shield in front of her and Rukia. Mitsuhide laughed, but he made no attempt to penetrate it. Instead, he kicked the recumbent Chad and sat on him, his scythe standing up by itself. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, while Hitsugaya, who was sneaking up a few feet behind him, gestured for Orihime to be quiet. Rukia prepared her sword, and Orihime had her spirits ready.

"I'm seriously beginning to worry here," said Mitsuhide. "I woke up expecting to kill the King and then help you all defeat your enemies. Instead, you choose to die for a guy who hasn't shown his face for a thousand years. No. It doesn't make sense."

"You're a monster! You've killed so many people to get here, all for some petty revenge." yelled Rukia. Mitsuhide laughed with scorn.

"Petty revenge? I don't think so. You Don't know my story. And you may notice that everyone I have fought with so far has remained alive. Even the woman back there." Mitsuhide leant back on his scythe, and examined his fingernails. Without even looking up, he waved his hand, and Hitsugaya was blasted back and pinned to the far wall by an invisible force.

"But-" Orihime began. Mitsuhide laughed inwardly.

"Maybe I should tell you my story. At least, the parts you need to now. Would you like that?" Mitsuhide appeared to be in a world of his own, but he also seemed to be enjoying himself. "It all started thousands, no, in fact, I can't even remember how long ago. You see, like you know, I am, in fact, the original Shinigami. I was created first. The King decided he could no longer accept the strain of maintaining all the worlds that he created me."

"It was, in a way, a mistake. He created me, but there is always meant to be a balance. Because I was growing so powerful, the King granted a noble and repentant Hollow the ability to become an Arrancar, so that, in the event of my becoming power-hungry, I couldn't gain power over the Hollows. Also, he then created the Quincy, in order to have someone to defend the Living World." Mitsuhide smiled in remembrance.

"It was a day in…..June, I think. Mid-summer. I was on a routine operation, merely hunting down a rogue Arrancar, and I had to send a spirit along after he was killed in the fight. I was reasonably young and foolhardy at this point, just a few thousand years old. The man had a daughter, eighteen years old. She could see me. I still have no idea how. I think it was because the Arrancar cut her with it's weapon. But she saw me send her father, and she thought I was the Grim Reaper himself."

"Naturally I was concerned for her. I……think I fell in love with her. But, you see, I decided to abandon my Shinigami duties. But unlike other Shinigami, I couldn't have a Gigai, and I couldn't age. So eventually, she grew old, and I staid the same. She……she got cancer. She died. Aged 82. I found myself wondering why I couldn't age or die. I told the King that I wanted out. He didn't let me. So he started the Central 46, who would have power over me and all of Soul Society."

"I was, needless to say, a little bit angry. He had just told me that I was no longer his favourite. His creation had been cast aside. So I rebelled. I went to kill him. I was stopped only when the last few captains who stood in my way where able to trap me using the old General's powers, and they sealed me inside the Sokyoku. Yamamoto stole my powers, or at least, some of them, and then they sealed my sword beneath the chamber."

"I vowed revenge. But, you see, the integral part of my escape was Kurosaki's destruction of the Sokyoku. That phoenix was…..well, technically it was me. My powers don't just revolve around shadow. I also have the power over all elements. Fire included. When Ichigo destroyed it, he not only released Arturo Platedo, but he also undid half of the seal around me, allowing me to travel around as a spirit. I saw your fight with Aizen. It was quite entertaining."

"But now, I am going to kill the King. But don't worry. He can't die. In fact, all that will happen is it will weaken him a little. Even if I cut his head off, he won't die. I merely want him to know I'm back, and I am _pissed_." He looked at Orihime. "Is that reason enough for you?"

"How…….I never thought……."

"Aizen was blind. He thought he could be a god. No one is more powerful then the King, except maybe me and the first Arrancar. I will say this though. If Kurosaki reaches his full potential……he could do a lot of damage." Mitsuhide stood. "Now, I know I can't penetrate that barrier of yours, Orihime. But did you ever think that, if I can control darkness, it might pay to make a shield below you as well?"

Orihime looked down. The shadows she and Rukia projected encased them, locking them in place. "I'll spare you harm," Mitsuhide walked away. "But I'll say this, and you'd better pay attention. I'm going to be counting on yours and Ichigo's co-operation in the coming days. If there is an enemy that even Yamamoto was forced to unleash _me to defeat, then your going to be needing me." _

_He walked away. As he neared the top of the stairs, the doors seemed to recreate themselves out of pure fire. He sighed, turned around, and saw, to his dismay, that Yamamoto, fully recovered, was stood there, Ryujin Jakka aflame in his hands, with, on either side of him, most of the Gotei 13, including Retsu Unohana, Shunsui Kyoraku, Byakuya Kuchiki and Sajin Komamura. Mitsuhide sighed, and looked up at the ceiling. _

_Yamamoto sent out a wave of fire, which was futile, seeing as with a wave of his hand, Mitsuhide blocked it with a barrier of shadow. All the captains walked towards him, crossing the distance without much hesitation. Mitsuhide watched them, and then, with a laugh, he let his scythe rest across his shoulders. He cocked his head to the side and gave them a smirk._

"_Come and get it then."_


	13. Chapter 13

Mitsuhide looked around and laughed. The captains still had not moved, and he was having no end of fun toying with them, by taking a mock step forward and watching them step back. He had no idea why they refused to make the first move. He looked around at Yamamoto, who set his blade on fire and tore off his captain's robe, revealing the scarred, muscular chest beneath. Mitsuhide gave him a slight bow, and, scythe in one hand, he launched himself at the old captain.

Instantly, Yamamoto stepped backwards, and captain Homomura stepped forward, and his massive Bankai appeared behind him, slashing down at Mitsuhide, who despite easily flinging it aside with a blow from his scythe, was still kept at bay. This was followed up by an attack from Kyoryaku, who's shikai slashed towards him, as the man tore off his white sash and muttered the word 'black' beneath his breath, and Mitsuhide cursed and flipped backwards, barely dodging the strike. He swivelled as he landed on his feet, and Tosen charged, and the two locked blades briefly.

Tosen was more then a match in strength, holding back every blow Mitsuhide landed. Mitsuhide cursed again, realising that his fight with the boy and his companions had taken its toll on him. He turned and blocked another strike from Kyoryaku, and now fighting both, swinging his scythe faster then could be seen, he was barely holding them back. The captains where keeping up a steady barrage of blows, and he was steadily being forced into a corner. He cursed and knocked them back a step with a circular slash, and he leapt up into the air and put on his hollow mask.

Once again, he saw Shinji jump towards him, but now he had drawn his shikai, and Mitsuhide could feel himself being affected by the sensory shikai. He could see Shinji in front of him, which meant……Mitsuhide barely blocked the attack from behind, but now his senses where jumbled. He could see Yamamoto leaping from his left, and turned right, but now Yamamoto was behind him. Mitsuhide turned and felt a heat behind his back, barely dispersing his body into shadow in time.

He turned as Shinji and the others circled him once again, but this time, he was ready, he began to spin in a circle, and soon became a whirling dervish, and as they attacked, he blocked them all with remarkable speed, and kept most of the captains at bay. Unfortunately, it was at this point that Soifon and Hitsugaya chose to rise once again, healed by the blasted girl, and Hitsugaya ducked beneath his scythe, plying his feet with ice, as Soifon pierced his chest. This caused him to pause momentarily, and he gasped out in pain and stopped blocking. All the captains drove swords and shikai into him, and they all leapt away as Yamamoto blasted fire over him, and Soifon, leaping away, summoned her Bankai, firing the missile at him.

Each captain hit him with their most powerful strike. He was crushed by a giant blade, stabbed by a kendo attack, hit by about eight swords at once and finally cut open by Kyoryaku's attack, and, still alight, he noted that all the captains had formed a circle around him and began muttering. He used his scythe to keep himself on his knees, glaring once again at Yamamoto.

"Goodbye forever, Mitsuhide," said the old man, as the circle of power opened, and Mitsuhide could feel himself being sealed again. The first time, he had wanted it to happen, but this time, he would be damned if he was going to let himself be cast aside. He dragged himself up and, with the captains watching in horror, staggered to the edge of the circle and grabbed Yamamoto.

"If I'm going, I'm taking you with me you bastard!" Mitsuhide drove his fist into Yamamoto, blasting it out the other side. "Seal me, and you seal him. Then he dies." Mitsuhide could hear the old man telling his fellow captains to let him die, but he threw him to the ground and pinned his neck down with his foot. He turned to the others.

"Will you let him die?"

"No, but neither will we let you roam free." Mitsuhide heard the voice just as a shower of pink petals soared towards him. He cursed and, with tremendous effort, tore himself from the circle and leapt out of the path of Byakuya's Bankai. He rolled along the ground, and he raised a hand, blasting a beam of pure darkness at the following trail of blades, which split and avoided the beam and continued towards him. Byakuya landed on the ground, and he charged forth, and Mitsuhide, cursing, spun around and attacked with his scythe.

Mitsuhide looked behind him. He cursed again and jumped up as Kira and Shuhei attacked, and he barely avoided their attacks. The three Shinigami leapt into a joint attack, and Mitsuhide briefly forgot the power of Kira's shikai, blocking his attacks. He felt his scythe getting heavier, and it dropped to the ground as Shuhei launched his spinning scythe's. Mitsuhide cursed, letting his weapon go and leaping backwards, and he landed on the ruined stairs just as the entire chamber became encircled by glowing pink swords, and Byakuya leapt forward, his Bankai in full swing.

The two clashed as Mitsuhide summoned his scythe back through the shadow, the added weight gone, and they briefly locked blades, as Byakuya summoned another one and slashed Mitsuhide across the leg. Each time Byakuya would attack with two blades, locking Mitsuhide into position, and then summon another and hit him in a vulnerable spot. Mitsuhide cursed and fell backwards, rolling down the stairs to where Hitsugaya was waiting, swinging forth a spire of ice, which impaled him. Mitsuhide struggled for a second, but then he fell limp and still.

Hitsugaya and Soifon walked forwards and prodded the body, checking he was actually dead. They breathed a sigh of relief as Ichigo came running up. "Guys, look out!" Hitsugaya looked up as he saw the ice shatter, and although the hole remained in Mitsuhide's chest, he was now on his feet, and rather then one massive scythe in his hands, he now had two massive double bladed scythes in his hand, and as they watched, his coat became longer and more ragged, and lines of blackness started to form on his face. Just as he looked up and readied his scythe blade, something stuck him.

It was a vine. As he watched, another appeared, and another, until he was covered in them. Flowers began to bloom over them, and he could feel his reishi being absorbed. He looked back as what seemed like almost all of the Shinigami poured into the chamber, and that damned girly Shinigami from the eleventh division was holding him in that shikai of his, and Mitsuhide felt himself slowly slip into unconsciousness as the flowers finally bloomed.


	14. Chapter 14

Mitsuhide opened his eyes. He was laid out on a flat bed, which, under the likely direction of some of the captains he had snapped open like a twig, was likely to be the most uncomfortable one in the whole of Soul Society. He rose up, groggily, stretching his arm and making sure he was actually in one piece. As he tried to swing off the bed, he bounced back, and noticed for the first time that a barrier stood between him and the floor. More then a barrier. Orihime's barrier.

He noticed that the girl, along with Ishida, Chad, Ichigo and Rukia, where conversing in a corner, likely about him. He watched them apparently aimlessly for a while and then, with utter indifference, he banged on the barrier, making a few loud reverberating banging sounds. It caught their attention, as they all swung around, and Mitsuhide could see Ichigo's hand closing around the hilt of Zangetsu. He gave him a nod and a smirk, and then laid back on the bed.

"I take it," he said, without looking around, waving his arm vaguely, "That there must be some kind of emergency? Otherwise I wouldn't be here right now. I would either be dead, or be sealed. So, pray tell. What exactly does the old bastard want me to do for him now?"

"Nothing." Ichigo growled. "We can sort our own mess out, thanks." Ichigo nodded to Uryu and Chad, who left. "We don't need your help, alright? It was a mistake letting you out of that hole. So we're going to keep you here until we can seal you away again."

"Really? You don't need my help? Oh well, I'm sure the Arrancar will beat themselves." Mitsuhide smirked at the audible gasp Rukia let out. He sat up, looking at them. "Sorry to say, but reading lips is not a very hard thing to do. If you want to be secret about these things, don't talk about them." Mitsuhide tapped the barrier, which rippled. "So, how do you intend to hold them off? What with the limited number of Shinigami you have left, especially after the battle with Aizen."

"How did you…?"

"Know the enemy first has always been my motto, and I have an entire history about the Arrancar in my head. I know where their bases are, their numbers. Besides, why do you think Yamamoto wanted me out? Because I know the guy you will be going up against." Mitsuhide laid back on the bed. "I should go fetch him, if I where you. There may be some unpleasantness if you don't."

"Are you threatening me?!" yelled Ichigo, drawing Zangetsu, but a soothing touch from Rukia calmed him down. Mitsuhide hadn't moved a muscle, despite the anger that had radiated from Ichigo. The man just sat on the bed, examining his fingernails, before he indeed looked up at the orange-haired boy and shook his head.

"You should really calm down, Kurosaki. What can I do? I can't penetrate this barrier, can I? So go ahead. Fetch the old man, because when I say unpleasantness, I don't mean I'm going to harm you. Hell, I told you I would help. No, I mean that if you don't tell Yamamoto to let me help, you and all of Soul Society are going to die. And I mean really die." Mitsuhide laid back again. "Come wake me up when the old man gets here, 'kay?"

"Damn him," said Ichigo, as he and Rukia walked out, leaving Orihime to keep up the barrier. "He's right, but I wish he wasn't. We need his strength." Ichigo cursed and hit a wall, and Rukia laid a hand on his arm, attempting to calm him.

"Ichigo," she said, shaking her head. "Let's go. I don't like this any more then you do, but right now he is our only chance of winning this war. So let's go find the general, and then he can sort it out, and maybe we can go back to Karakura? See your dad, and Urahara. That's be fun, wouldn't it?" Rukia asked, knowing fully well that Ichigo would refuse.

"No. I'd like to, but I can't leave in a time like this," he said, and he gave her a sad look. "Sorry, Rukia. I guess we'll have to have a date another time." Ichigo smiled at her and walked away, although moments later a foot hit him in the back, knocking him over and pinning him to the ground.

"Who says I was asking you out on a date! Don't get ideas above your station, numbskull substitute!" she shouted, and Ichigo groaned as she drove his face into the ground with her boot. Back in the room, hearing them talking, Orihime smiled to herself and sighed, wishing that maybe she could have something like they had with each other, one day.

"Hey, Orihime? Do me a favour and pass me the jug of water? I'm thirsty." Mitsuhide sat up on the bed, looking at her. He gave her a friendly smile, but she turned away and ignored him. He sighed, got up, and clicked his fingers. The jug, on a table besides Orihime, disappeared, and reappeared next to him on the bed. He poured himself a glass, then sent it back. Orihime watched in horror as he drained the glass, stood up through the barrier and placed it on a table, before walking back to the bed and sitting down.

"But-bu-bu-but….."

"Hey, I said I couldn't penetrate it, that isnt the same as saying I can't walk right through. No offence Orihime, but you aren't that special." Mitsuhide laid back and sighed. "No, I reckon there are only two people alive at the moment who could probably beat me."

"Yamamoto and Ichigo?"

"One of them, yes." Mitsuhide hissed. "I'd be damned if I'd let the old man beat me. No, I'm not talking about him. Someone else. Ichigo…….maybe. With training. He beat Aizen, sure enough, but, well, in all modesty, I'm a whole level about that bastard." Mitsuhide yawned and stretched out his arms. "Oh, and Orihime? I'm sure you'll have something like they do some day." He smirked as she gaped in horror. "Mind reading. Awesome, ain't it? Wake me up when they get back, 'kay?"

Orihime was about to complain, when the door burst open. Uryu stood there, and he looked around, and when his eyes travelled to Orihime, he ran over and grabbed her by the wrist. "Come on, Orihime! The Arrancar are here!"

"What?"

"We need to get to the Central 46 chambers, now! Yamamoto is speaking with their commander, and we're making preparations for battle!" Uryu made to drag her away.

"What about him?"

Uryu looked back, at Mitsuhide, who was apparently asleep. He shrugged. "Leave him," he said, "Right now, he's an enemy, not an ally. Come back for him later." Uryu piloted Orihime from the room, and the gust from the door killed the candlelight that illuminated the room. With only the eerie glow of the barrier, Mitsuhide looked up at the ceiling, smiling brightly.

"He's here."


End file.
